Rainbow Heir Retiring On Top After $175,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – New Farm’s homebred Rainbow Heir made his final career start a good one, closing late and kicking clear to take Saturday’s $175,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint Stakes.

Off moderately from post 6 under Irad Ortiz, Jr., Rainbow Heir sat mid-pack behind Richard’s Boy while Successful Native set an initial fraction of :21.94. Angling out near the 1/4-pole, Rainbow Heir found himself running five-wide before kicking on and clearing off to win by 2 lengths in a final time of :55.47 for the 5-furlong event.

“My horse has speed, he broke out well, and put me in a good position,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I was following (Richard’s Boy), and I was patient and just waited. Before I turned for home, I knew I had some horse, and man, I don’t know how (Richard’s Boy) will take off in the stretch, but I know I have some horse, so when I asked him, he was there for me, and we just flew by.”

Longshot Oak Bluffs finished strongly to neck out second over Richard’s Boy. Another 2 lengths back, Tombelaine took fourth ahead of Pool Winner and Successful Native. A four-horse photo finish for seventh went to Sir Navigator over the favored Pay Any Price, Jaguar Poz, and Blind Ambition, with Conquest Enforcer completing the order of finish.

Rainbow Heir, an 8-year-old son of former Florida leading sire Wildcat Heir, will retire with a record of 31-14-4-3 and career earnings of $804,395. New Farm, his owners birth, are sending the Jason Servis trainee to stud duty at Ocala Stud.

“They were going pretty quick,” Servis said. “I was a little worried where we were placed early on, that maybe he wasn’t going to fire. He’s getting up there in years, but … I don’t want him to go.”

Rainbow Heir returned $8.60 to win, $4.80 to place, and $3.60 to show. Oak Bluffs brought back $20.40 to place and $10.80 to show, while Richard’s Boy paid $3.80 to show.

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